The Barrow Creek 'Building the Community' Shared Responsibility Agreement (SRA) was signed between the Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments and members of the Angkweleyelengkwe and Thangkenharenge communities. The SRA aims to provide more amenities and opportunities for these local communities, while supporting residents' desire to live on their ancestral lands.

Shared Responsibility Agreements are agreements between governments and Indigenous communities to provide discretionary funding in return for community obligations. The new arrangements developed from an initiative of the Council of Australian Governments and replace the previous ATSIC system of funding. For more information see 'Shared Responsibility Agreement' below.

Detailed Information:

Purpose

The SRA aims to enhance community development and increase school attendance. The SRA provides a community clean-up and an orchard. This links in with a program of the Indigenous Housing Authority of the Northern Territory, which is overseeing the construction of three new houses for the communities.

Shared Responsibilities

Under the SRA, the communities of Angkweleyelengkwe and Thangkenharenge will clean up their existing camps, and plant and maintain an orchard. The communities aim to increase school attendance by coordinating a roster to take children to and from their school at Neutral Junction (15 kilometres away) and ensuring their children are prepared for school, and eat a good breakfast.

The Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments will provide materials and equipment to assist with the community clean-up and orchard planting. The Commonwealth Government will also fund a joint coordinator for the Barrow Creek, Tara and Wilora Shared Responsibility Agreements. The Australian Government's investment in the project totals $295,000.

Another contributor to this SRA is the Neutral Junction School, which will provide a venue for both school and community activities, and record student participation and attendance.

The Barrow Creek 'Building the Community' SRA will be negotiated by the Tennant Creek Indigenous Coordination Centre.